Debates of March 29, 2004 (day 10)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, my questions today are for the Premier, with respect to some power-related issues. Mr. Speaker, in the 14th Assembly, this government undertook something that has become known as the Robertson report, which covered quite a few different areas. The report ultimately contained 22 recommendations, and I think was quite a good and comprehensive piece of work that was done. I would like to ask the Premier if he has an idea, just in a ballpark, what we might have spent on that report in the 14th Assembly. Thank you.

Mr. Premier.

Return To Question 102-15(3): Community Franchise Recommendations Of The Robertson Report

Mr. Speaker, I don't know exactly what we spent on the report, but the preparation of the report and a lot of related and subsequent research that was done on that report cost the government, I believe, somewhere in the neighbourhood of $700,000. But that included more than just preparing the report itself. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Supplementary, Mrs. Groenewegen.

Supplementary To Question 102-15(3): Community Franchise Recommendations Of The Robertson Report

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I am also wondering how many of the 22 recommendations that were contained in that report have been acted on to date. I think there were some good recommendations that came out of that work. Specifically, one of the recommendations related to the protection of the asset of the Power Corporation as it relates to the franchises for providing power in the NWT communities.

At the time, we were going through an interesting scenario where other people were coming in from outside and trying to bid on what they thought were profitable communities in the North, to come in and just pick one community and provide diesel-generated power in that community. So one of the recommendations related to franchises, and it related to grandfathering the existing franchises and then forming a monopoly for the remaining communities so that it would create some surety and some ability to plan on the part of the Power Corporation. So I would like to know what was the decision that was made with respect to the recommendation on franchises. Thank you.

Mr. Premier.

Further Return To Question 102-15(3): Community Franchise Recommendations Of The Robertson Report

Mr. Speaker, this goes back before this government, to the 14th Assembly, but at that time there was a decision to not have any franchise changes until we had looked at all the recommendations and created more of a strategic plan for the generation and delivery of energy throughout the Territories. So there have been no franchise changes in the 14th Assembly. The government did not support what was referred to as cherry picking and take what's profitable. To this date, our government also has the same view. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Supplementary, Mrs. Groenewegen.

Supplementary To Question 102-15(3): Community Franchise Recommendations Of The Robertson Report

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, it's my understanding that a number of the community franchises are not signed and in place right now with the Power Corporation. Legislatively, what instrument do we have to prohibit a company coming in, other than the Power Corporation, and competing for power supply in those communities? Right now, at the present time, what's stopping that from happening? Thank you.

Mr. Premier.

Further Return To Question 102-15(3): Community Franchise Recommendations Of The Robertson Report

Mr. Speaker, there are some franchises that have terminated and have not yet been signed off, but we are in the process of doing that. To my knowledge, there really isn't anything that would prevent someone from coming in and setting up a competing structure if they wanted to. In most situations, they would have an incredible task on their hands if they wanted to handle both generation and distribution. Mr. Speaker, I expect that if they were to try and set up a whole new system or duplicate a system, the Public Utilities Board may also come into play on that. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Final supplementary, Mrs. Groenewegen.

Supplementary To Question 102-15(3): Community Franchise Recommendations Of The Robertson Report

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I would like to ask the Premier if he has any plans or if this government has any plans to put something in place from a legislative point of view, that would create a monopoly for those communities which are presently being served by the NWT Power Corporation, to prevent such a scenario from happening. We know that in Fort Simpson it almost did happen, where an outside community came in and took that particular community out of the NTPC revenue base and mix. Thank you.

Mr. Premier.

Further Return To Question 102-15(3): Community Franchise Recommendations Of The Robertson Report

Mr. Speaker, the Member is correct, that there were 22 recommendations in the Robertson report. Franchises certainly was one of them. That is something we are looking at, and certainly will take into consideration the issue about having people come in and try to provide energy services in selected communities. So our intention as we put together our action plan on the Robertson report, which we fully intend to do, is to prevent that kind of cherry picking from happening. But at the same time, also leave it open for northerners who may want to try some alternative methods of generating energy on their own, whether it's solar panels or possibly even generators that they would set up in their own businesses to produce both heat and energy. So we don't want to exclude everyone from having input, but we do want to prevent people from coming in and picking out those that are profitable. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.